He clung to me, crying, yelling that he didn’t want to go to daycare. It took me by surprise because he always went without a problem. I tried to calm him down, but the more I insisted, the more desperate he became. I don’t know if something happened there or if it was just a bad day, but seeing him like that made me uneasy. Should I be worried?
that must’ve been so hard to watch. I don’t have any great advice, but I do know how gut, wrenching it is when your kid is sobbing and clinging to you like that. My daughter had a phase like this out of nowhere too, and I remember walking back to my car in tears after drop, off, feeling like the worst mom ever. It’s so tough when they can’t explain what’s wrong, and you’re left wondering if something happened or if it’s just a random developmental thing.
I will say, kids this age go through a lot of emotional shifts, and sometimes there’s no clear reason. It could be something at daycare, or maybe he just had a rough morning and needed extra comfort. Either way, I hope tomorrow is better for you both. Sending hugs!
daycare drop, offs are like an Olympic sport. One minute they’re fine, the next they’re throwing themselves on the ground like they just lost everything they’ve ever loved. My son pulled this exact move last year, full, on stage, five clinger, sobbing like he was in a tragic movie. I was sweating, trying to pry him off me while all the other parents pretended not to stare. Meanwhile, the daycare teacher gave me the Just go, I got this nod. So I left, feeling like an absolute monster.
Ten minutes later, I get a picture from the teacher: My son is sitting happily at the snack table, stuffing his face like nothing happened. I was over here emotionally spiraling, and he was vibing with his Goldfish crackers.
Not saying this is exactly what’s happening with your little guy, but toddlers are dramatic AF. Maybe ask the teacher how he was five minutes after you left. Bet he was totally fine!
This is so relatable, and I don’t even have advice because I’m literally dealing with the same thing. My son started doing this out of nowhere last month, and I have no idea why. He used to love daycare, and now every morning is a battle. Screaming, begging to stay home, acting like I’m abandoning him forever. It’s exhausting and heartbreaking.
I’ve asked his teacher if anything happened, and she swears he’s fine all day, plays, eats, naps, all of it. Like, what?? If he’s so fine, why does he act like I’m torturing him at drop, off? I don’t get it.
Did your son’s teachers say anything? Is he acting different at home too, or just at drop-off? I’m really curious if other parents have cracked the code on this because I’m about two bad mornings away from quitting my job and homeschooling, lol
but I wouldn’t panic just yet! My kiddo went through the same thing around 3. Out of nowhere, drop-offs became these emotional battle zones. But after a few weeks, it just… stopped. No reason, no big event, just a phase that passed as mysteriously as it started.
Kids this age start processing emotions differently, and separation anxiety can randomly flare up. Maybe he had a bad dream, maybe he’s testing if you’ll stay, maybe he just really didn’t want to put on pants today, who knows. But the good news? These things usually pass with time and consistency. Keep the routine, keep the reassurance, and I bet he’ll be running into daycare again before you know it
It’s happened to me. And I mean it’s happened to me, with my son. My first child always went to daycare, never had any problems, and then, whoosh! One day he turned 3 and suddenly he was acting like he was being thrown into jail every morning. He was crying, screaming, clinging… the whole spectacle. I panicked, thinking something must have happened. It works? It’s the normal phase.
What helped us:
Keep the goodbye short: Long goodbyes make it worse. Say I love you, see you later! and leave.
Teacher handover: Let the teacher handle it. They’re professionals. It feels terrible, but they calm down quickly.
Photo update: If the daycare allows it, ask them to send a photo afterward. 9 out of 10 times, they feel better within minutes.
Speaking of fun: Instead of saying, Time for daycare, try saying, “Oh! What fun snack are you having today?”
It’s hard, but you’ll get over it. Be consistent and don’t let mom guilt consume you. He’s okay. You’re okay. You can do it